MINING INSTRUCTOR

Pat Sheppard
Delta Junction, Alaska

Contact me for more information
about mining or careers in mining:
info@dmtcalaska.org

What do you do in a typical day?

A typical day at the Delta Mine Training Center for me as an instructor is to teach young people to understand the mining field. In the classroom, I show them several pictures and films for them to see what a mine looks like.Then we go out to the training site where we have a tunnel (drift) in the side of a mountain.First, we check to make sure we have all the tools we need to do our work. We check our equipment to make sure it is safe for everyone to use.

"I teach them how to do a round."

A round is when we drill and blast the drift (tunnel) to get further inside the mountain. We move the drill into the tunnel where we want to use our explosives. We drill 50 holes, but have to be careful where we make our holes. We put an explosive into each of the holes, exploding them in a special order to break the rock out so it can be removed safely.

Crews knock down any loose and dangerous rock (scaling) by using a big bigmetal bar. They do this to make
sure it is safe for the crews to complete another round.

As the crews work further into the drift, they drill holes, push long metal bolts into the side (ribs) and top (back) of the drift to hold any loose ground.

What do you think is important for kids to learn in elementary school that will help them with a job like yours in the future? 

The most important school subjects in this line of work for me were english, math and the ability to work well with others.

What led you to your present career?

My dad and my grandfather worked in mines. I worked in many different kinds of mines, both open pit and underground. I did not have many accidents as a miner, so I was asked to become an instructor. I took classes to become an Emergency Medical Technician, and I trained some of the miners I worked with in basic first aid and safety. Because of my experience as a safe miner and ability to teach others about safety, I was hired in Delta Junction, Alaska as an instructor for the Delta Mine Training Center.

What skills are needed on your job?

The first and main skill I need in this job is to keep an open mind. Next, I must be able to learn new things and obtain training. The third most important skill is to have good motor skills, in other words, have the ability to operate equipment.

What could young people do to prepare themselves for this career?

The best way to be prepared for this career is to study hard in school, get as much training as possible before going into this field and always look ahead and plan out your strategy for your schooling. Check with your counselors for more information and classes that are available when you get to high school.

If you are interested in contacting Pat or other miners write to info@dmtcalaska.org

There is more info about mining found here also So you want to be a miner..